Plastic Fantastic tew

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to start welding.... motor is in and it's resting level and on its suspension points.... and the frame wasn't flat, so I'll weld it flat in this process

look at the 'weld' to the left of the mig weld.... this is why welding the frame is so important


this hole gets filled too


and the fun of straightening the usually bent rear brace

[DanStokes]

Want to borrow my Porta-Power? Looking good!

Dan

[SuperBuickGuy]

Want to borrow my Porta-Power? Looking good!

Dan

you don't like my port-a-prybars?

[DanStokes]

you don't like my port-a-prybars?

Oh, they're good, too. I've been known to cut a length of 2X4 to the right length to act as a fulcrum and pry away. Whatever blows your kilt up.

Dan

[milner351]

Given the thickness of metal you're dealing with here, do you have to worry much about managing the heat? Are you welding an inch or so and moving around as to not get anything too hot for too long??? Nice work as always.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Given the thickness of metal you're dealing with here, do you have to worry much about managing the heat? Are you welding an inch or so and moving around as to not get anything too hot for too long??? Nice work as always.

I'm welding about 3" then going to the other side, weld 3", the work on the cross members in the same manner. Repeat once then let it cool completely. Basically about 3 feet of weld per night. You could put quite a twist in the frame if you started at one point then circle welded up to the other. It's not a huge thing to weld, maybe 14 feet total, I also don't have to weld all of it - there were a few welds that weren't terrible.

Ages ago, one of my friends wanted to go to work for my dad so I had him try out welding 18x18 16 ga duct together. First you weld 4 foot sections into a tube then weld the tubes together. He didn't alternate seams so that plus the welding in a circle (go to one end, move to the other side and weld back) over 30 or so feet there was a 6" twist in the duct. Of course, I didn't cut it apart, I solid mounted the duct in the restaurant then pulled down on the duct on the other end until it was straight then welded it in place. I've always wonder what will happen if that building is in an earthquake because I bet there's 8000 lbs of stored energy in that now straight twist.....

[SuperBuickGuy]

weld frame to make square..... and beat on frame....


along with hanging weights, I did some flame wrench straightening .... frame is dead nuts square, but it has a slight rack to it (thus the weights)


someone told me once that it wasn't possible to shim the side pipes up with washers..... to that person, don't look


the problem, it turns out, I'm fixing anyway with a new driver's side motor mount (so it clears the steering shaft


time to start welding plates on


other side

[SuperBuickGuy]

how to eat an elephant

time to fill holes


make squares


weld into place




this brace isn't totally needed but it will keep the frame solid when I drop the cradle

finally weld the upper shock mount


more soon. I need to finish up, the more I look at this frame the worse it is.... passenger rail actually bows up.... for those curious, the datum line is the bar that runs behind the seats. it's square and squares everything I put on.. so where the metal goes to reach that point (as long as it doesn't interfere with the body) is fine.

[silver_bullet]

Impressive to say the least...

[SuperBuickGuy]

next up is to figure out motor mounts.

[Russell]

Will you correct the bow or is it close enough?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Will you correct the bow or is it close enough?

I'll try to run a string down it tomorrow.... it's so close and over such a distance that to correct it would basically mean replacing the frame. The damage looks like it landed on something.... the front rails were perfect - it's just that middle cross support (that's welded in place) that had a wang and the passenger side rail makes a bow.... most of my point of pointing it out is to illustrate the idea that how the wheels end up straight and square doesn't rely on the frame being perfect... adapt, overcome and remember progress not perfection (though it's perfect at the points that matter).

[Russell]

Thanks, that's kind of what I was thinking small bow maybe more trouble to try to fix than it's worth, on the other hand I was going to ask how are you going to fix that!?

[SuperBuickGuy]

today's fun, motor mount
the problem, passenger side is low

CAD assisted design

now in metal

I need to do the front side now.

Then onto the passenger side. I started here because the mount was pretty floppy with all the metal removed, now it isn't so I can move back to leveling the motor in the chassis (once I'm finished with the driver's side)

[Deaf Bob]

As you say.. Wheels straight and centered, frame basically doesn't matter.. OF COURSE the straighter the better

Was ficing a Town and Country wagon to go another run back when I liked running pre-ran cars. It was sitting in a pothole right outside the door.. When I was done, holy sheet! It was crooked! Morale of this is to start on a level spot, I could only get the doors inside the doors.. Thus part was outside.